Leakage? Check Engine light situation.
 

I received my car with a cracked Air Intake Boot and Air Hose. Ive been driving it for deliveries and regularly doing hard pulls. Last night my engine ran hot and had white a significant amount of white smoke. I parked it for the night.

This morning the check engine light came on when powering up the battery but not when car is running.

I made this video below of what I saw, after I saw it.

https://vimeo.com/239677506

I have the Air Intake Boot, Air Hose and the Distribution Piece on the way. I'm thinking I need to do a full coolant flush as well and all will be well after? :confused:

I'd appreciate any feedback! :smile:

BMW coolant is blue, you lost coolant from one of the plastic hoses most likely.

Any ideas of which one?

What year is your car?

There are two plastic coolant distribution pipes that commonly fail.

If it were a coolant hose you would most likely see it. You can pressurize the system and look for leaks (a safe way to test it).

First sticky thread in the this maintenance section: http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16068

It’s 1996.

Well, read the post above with the pictures in it about the coolant passages/parts.

If you are not experienced enough take it to auto tech.

After entering my personal ID on RealOEM, I was able to find the connectors item #'s.

I'll now asses these parts and see how things go.

Thank you so much! :smile:

I did a top up with distilled and the water flows straight to the floor.

Here is a video showing where it’s flowing from:

https://vimeo.com/241100280

What is it I need to replace?

Stop wasting your time replacing coolant hoses and pipes.
You will need a cylinder head or the whole engine.

What is the problem my car has. I’ve been asking around even outside the forum and no one can seem to give me an answer.

Regardless, if you are not able to start tearing down the engine, you will have to take to a mechanic.

I suggested that the rear coolant pipe is bad (which could explain water running down back of engine) and bazar01 is saying that the headgasket is most likely blown, which is evidence by the white smoke coming out the exhaust.

The coolant or water is mixing in the combustion chamber and causing white smoke out the exhaust. Does the exhaust gases smell like coolant?

Either way, sounds like you need to take it to a shop.

I have yet to have any scents. Nether does white smoke come out my exhaust. White smoke comes from under the hood as the car overheats.

Oh, then it must be hitting the exhaust then and is causing the smoke.

Must still be the coolant tubes....

Ok.
Replace the plastic coolant pipes between the firewall and rear of cylinder head and hope for the best that will fix your overheating issue.
Include also the plastic pipe under the intake manifold.

Good luck to you!